Survivors
by CharlieSMarts12
Summary: Five years on, the Foundling gang meet up outside St. Paul's and everyone seems to be thriving in their new lives. Except for Vince. Can he finally find a solution to all his problems when a familiar face comes to his rescue? (Hetty/Vince) one-shot


**(A/N): So this is just a little one-shot about Hetty and Vince and what happens when they meet 5 years later. Hope you enjoy! Shoutout to Buzzingbea for giving me the idea.**

* * *

 **Vince POV**

The bells of St. Paul's Cathedral tolled the strike of noon in the city of London, and the ladies and gentlemen of the area hurried along the pavements with a purpose. I stood outside the gates to the cathedral, huddled in my long coat as a sharp gust of wind blew past me.

Five years.

Who would have known how much things would have changed? I used to have such an arrogant air about me, always thinking I was better than everybody else. Never stopping to think how my words could have hurt others, yet living life to the fullest. I was so innocent then. So clueless about the consequences to life in the army.

I knew it would be tough. But when you wake up feeling the loss of at least hundred friends and enemies, happiness seems like something that simply cannot be reached. A never-ending struggle to obtain freedom and peace. But what is peace when violence still flourishes? All the battles won and for what? The satisfaction of serving for Queen and Country?

I couldn't care less.

I had been late joining the army. I struggled at first, learning how to work in a team. I was a coward. A coward that couldn't think about pulling the trigger, about endangering the lives of anyone in the world.

Eventually I'd been moved to manufacturing and escorting artillery, delivering messages. I couldn't fight like the other boys. I couldn't fight at all.

That's why I was able to meet Mathias' promise so easily. They'd sent me home and said that despite my efforts, I wasn't suited for the army life. I was currently residing in a hostel, searching up for jobs in service through newspapers. No one had to say it. I was a failure.

* * *

 **Hetty POV**

I'd arrived a few minutes ago and the second I caught sight of the tall figure before me, I found myself to be rather coy. Unexpectedly so.

Vince had grown up and changed and he almost looked unrecognisable. His hair had grown longer and more unruly, his features were more defined, yet he seemed to gaze out at the public with a melancholic expression that tore my heart in two. That's when I noticed the scars etched along his cheeks and forehead, the grubbiness of his fingers and the paleness of his face.

He was like ice. Untouchable, in case he crumbled before me.

"Hetty?" I heard a familiar voice behind me. I turned on my heel and flung myself at Harriet, grinning from ear to ear. We had a little cry and dabbed at our eyes with our handkerchiefs.

Harriet seemed as rosy and cheerful as ever and Mathias smiled at me from behind her shoulder, their hands entwined. My two best friends. Married.

"I've missed you so much! Come, let us go and greet the others!" she exclaimed excitedly.

Gideon had finally arrived after his day out with Sheila; the two had struck up a small romance in the years after the Foundling Hospital and Sheila was considerably more tolerable than she had been. Ned joined us a few moments later, with stories of how his intelligence had been used in the army, followed by Walter who despite struggling along with a broken leg, had managed the journey just fine. Elizabeth, arrived last of all, dressed to impress in a beautiful red dress and at last we all found ourselves a small secluded area of a park to seat ourselves.

"So.." Gideon began, "How's married life Mathias? Hope Harriet doesn't boss you around too much!"

"I would tell you but she'd hit me.." Mathias chuckled to Harriet's outrage. The two were clearly meant to be. They recounted their small engagement for us, and how the Asquiths had been very kind to them.

"Actually, we might also have a little one on the way.." Harriet eventually admitted, and Sheila and I gasped with delight at the news.

"So Gid.. you and Sheila eh?" Walter joked and the conversation flowed along smoothly, as we all took turns in recounting our individual adventures until the subject came onto me.

"What?" I asked, having been too busy daydreaming.

"Do you have a sweetheart, Hetty?" Harriet asked raising her eyebrows curiously.

"No, no of course not! I only have dreams of being a writer.." I declared to the group.

"But surely, you must have thought about someone..?" Ned frowned disbelievingly.

This much was true, except I had secretly been reserving myself for someone. Yet so much time had passed, and I still wasn't sure whether my feelings had changed.

Vince caught my eye before looking away, and I found myself blushing for no reason. Much to the surprise of the others.

"Hetty! There is someone isn't there?"

"No, no.." I insisted, "Well at least no one new.."

The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop myself. Vince's cheeks reddened whilst everyone else frowned in confusion at my adamant silence on the matter. The past was in the past, and no matter how I wished things could have changed, they didn't. I had to move on.

"Vince, you've been very quiet. How's these five years been for you?" Mathias asked curiously.

"Yeah, we never heard from you in the army.." Walter noted.

Vince sighed, "They sacked me.."

"What?"

"It's a long story, but I'm living here now. Looking for a job.." he shook his head sadly, and the atmosphere dampened. Everyone felt a twinge of guilt for boasting about their fantastic new lives.

"Did it have anything to do with you running away?" Gideon recalled how we'd found Vince hiding near Calendar Hall and helped him to return to the army.

"No.. I just.. wasn't cut out for the life.." he explained sadly, "A lot of people in my regiment died.."

"Oh Vince.." I sighed sadly.

"No don't. I don't need your pity. I deserved what I got. Listen, I don't want to bring the mood down, so I'll just leave.." he muttered, before taking off. No one said a word. I stood up, pondering whether to go after him.

"Hetty, maybe we should just leave him alone for a while.." Harriet commented.

"No.. he needs to stop feeling sorry for himself.." I told her, before hitching up my skirts to go and find him.

* * *

 **Vince POV**

I'd just settled myself down on a bench and bought myself an ice cream to keep myself occupied. Everyone had done so well for themselves, managing to make their dreary lives somewhat manageable. They'd found love and happiness and yet here I was, doubting my own existence.

It was no good feeling sorry for myself, I knew that. I'd had it rougher than everyone else,

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes and I found myself sobbing uncontrollably, dropping the ice cream on the ground. Why was it me that ended up as a failure? Why did it have to be me?

"Vince?" a concerned voice came at my shoulder and I wiped my tears hastily.

"I'm fine.." I replied with a constrained voice.

Hetty came and sat by me, carefully placing her hand on my shoulder. I reluctantly met her gaze, noting the way her sapphire eyes shone in the light, the way her red ringlets had collapsed from her bun, framing her face perfectly. I inhaled sharply before leaning forwards and clasping my hands, trying to forget about what could have been.

"You're not fine, Vince.." she said softly, "I'm sorry about what you've been through, but it's not your fault. If anything, your experiences have made you who you are today!"

I glanced back at her in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

She smiled wistfully, "I didn't always have the best of times with Matron neither. But now she's in prison, I've realised that I shouldn't feel sorry about everything that happened. It's made me a stronger person and now I have dreams that I can maybe, actually achieve! What I'm saying is, you could do the same.."

I shook my head sadly.

"No employers will ever take me.."

Hetty pondered for a moment, "Why don't I help? I know of a vacancy, an apprenticeship at the shipyard.."

"Really? You think they'd take me?"

She smiled, "Well, I could pull a few strings.."

I hugged her fiercely as she giggled in delight. I didn't deserve her. She'd given me so many chances and I'd blown them all. So why did she still come back to help me? Every single time..?

My cheeks reddened in shock as I realised I'd asked these questions aloud.

She cupped my face in her hands, "I don't think you've told me where these scars came from.."

She traced them gently with her index finger, as I held my breath. Our faces drew closer.

"Hetty... I need to tell you something.." I rasped quietly, feeling my heart thunder in my chest. I'd never noticed how her freckles danced so beautifully across her cheeks.

"Don't you want to know who I've had feelings for all these years..?" she murmured quietly, with a certain coyness that I'd never seen before.

"Hetty.."

"It was you.." she whispered lifting her gaze, "It was always you.."

And with that she pressed a kiss so tender to my lips, that my worries seemed to tumble away into the distance. As I embraced her in my arms, I realised that I loved Hetty Feather and that together we could be unstoppable.

We smiled and pulled away, and she ducked her head to hide her reddening cheeks. I found it utterly heart-warming.

"Vince.." she asked quietly.

"Yeah?" I breathed, still dazed from our kiss.

"You've stepped in some ice cream.." she giggled as I groaned.

I knew then that no matter what life threw at us, we would survive. Because we'd finally found love.

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 **(A/N:) Ending's a bit cheesy, but who doesn't love a soppy ending?** **! Please R &R**


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